Metallomesogens: enaminoketone derivatives of the 3-oxa, 3-thia- and 3-selena-butyric amides

Liquid crystalline Ni(II) and Cu(II) complexes of tetradentate ligands, enaminoketones and 3-oxa; 3-thia- and 3-selena-butyramides were synthesized and examined. The compounds show very low C₁ symmetry resulting from the chiral donor atoms — oxygen, sulphur and selenium — incorporated in the butyric amide moiety. This chirality can be observed in NMR studies. The complexes exhibit enantiotropic as well as monotropic calamitic SmA and N phases.